Steering means for snowplows



Nov. 29, 1932. w E, KLAUER 1,889,667

STEERING MEANS FOR SNOWPLOWS Filed Aug. 20, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 29, 1932. w, E KLAUER 1,889,667

STEERNG MENS FOR SNOWPLOWS Filed Aug. 20, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 29, 1932. w E. KLAUER 1,889,667

STEERING MEANS FOR SNOWPLOWS Filed Aug. 2o, 1928 5 sheets-sheet 5 Patented Nov. 29, 1932V WALTER Il. KLAUER, QF l:DUBlllli, IOWA.

aanname minne non snowrrows p Application lcd 'August 220, i928. Serial No. $0,885.

This invention relates to steering means y for snow plows of the types which are used to remove snow from streets and highways More particularly, thisinvention relates to means for steering snow removers of the type wherein eitlier a plow of the l! type or the rotary type is mounted forwardly of a power vehicle, said steering means being independont 'of or auxiliary to that commonly emplayed for guiding a vehicle in a clacsonl patli.

llt lies been found that, when attempting to open up a roadoover which the snow has drifted unevenlyu say, from a depth of dve feet on one side to a depth ci two feet on the other, it is almost impossible to keep a snow plow oi.e the l! type in a cliosen patli, dueto the fact t'fnat one side oil 'die limust handle a much greater volume oi snow than the other. The diilerence in pressure, whiclo` is proportional tothe number ci cubic ieet to be moved, causes the machine to ne 'forced awa-y from tine side on which the .snow is deeper. The same diculty arises when snow drifts unevenly into a previously cleared path eetween old Vloanlss of snow, and continuous forcing ol 'the equipment away from tlie' deeper side eventually results in a path between banks which may be so lar out oi alignment with the road as to pass directly over the ditch at the roadside,I

It has further been found that, when plowing through deep snow with an type ci remover, and especially when ma in tlie `first cut or swath, the wheels or caierpi lar tread of a motor truck or tractorrespectively have a tendency toward side-slipping and that complete control of the vehicle cannot therefore lbe eilected by the usual methods. Modern .highways are built with many sloping surfaces to permit trailic over them at high speeds and to facilitate drains. p e, and these sloping surfaces materially ad' to the tendency toward side-slip ing.

It is the object of t e resent invention to overcome these diiiicu ties by providing steering means auxiliary to the usual control systems, such, for example, as the steering wheel and radius rod connected to the front wheels "of aveliicle, which auxiliary steering means may in many instances be u'sed to guide 6o the snow remover entirely independently of the said usual control systems. More specifically, it is the object of this invention to provide rudder-like plates which encounter the snow at adjustable angles eine incidence, which blades may be built into a snow plow as elements thereofy or which may loe attached either to the plow or the vehicle on which it is mounted.

@ther objectswill become apparent from ce a, study oi" the following description when taken in connection with tlie accompanying drawings, in wliicli :-v

Fig. l is a side elevation ci one embodiment of the invention,A the steering plates being mounted .at the sides oi a snow plow,.and tire snow plow lacing mounted forwardly ed a powered truelr;- f

Fig. 2 is a partial lialiplan view of the snow remover shown'in Fig. l, certain parte to leaving losen removed for purposes of clariiis cation Figj is a half-plan view similar to Fig. 2, but .showing a modification oi tile steering mechanism; v y

Fig., 4 is a dia ammatic plan view of the invention as app ied to a snow plow of the il "type, the sides of the V element being adinstable to steer the plow;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. d but disclosing a modification tliereod;a Fig. 6 shows, in diagrammatic plan, a plow of the V type in which the V elements are j preferably rigid and in which a sin' le steeringI plate is provided forwardly of t e plow;

an E

Fig. 7 represents a modification of tliede- Vice shown in I lig. 6, the sin -le forward plate being replaced by a pair o rearwardly disposed adjustable p ates.

4 a driving torque 1s transmitted rearwardly In Fig. 1 there is shown a snow remover.

of the type disclosed in Patent #1,587,449 in which a snow plow is mounted forwardly of a truck. A motor 10 is mounted at the rear of the truck upon the main frame or sill 11 ofthe chassis. wardly toA a set of ears 13 by means of which to wheels 14 in the conventional manner by way of transmission casing 15, and forwardly to the snow removin mechanism by way of shaft 16 and clutch 1. A lever 18 is provided for controlling the clutch from the cab. The front wheels 20 are turned in the usual manner by means of a radius rod 19. The

steering wheel and the controls for the transmission 15 are not shown as they form no part of theinvention and are well known in the art.v y

Mounted forwardly of the vehicle upon the sills 11 is a snow remover of the t pe disclosed in said Patent #1,587 ,449, whlch comprises a casing 21, rotating augers 22 (see also Fig. 2 )for removing the snow and passing it toward the center ofthe casing, and

lremover in the manner already set forth.

Each plate 25 may be hinged to the casing at any position between the forward and rear edge thereof, for example, as at 26, and its angle of inclination to the side of the casing varied hy means of a link 27 which is pivotally attached to the plate at 28 and pivotally connected to a rack bar 29 as at 30. 'Thev rack har is mounted to reciprocate in a ned supporting guide 31 and upon its rear end is provided with teeth 32 which mesh with those of a driving pinion 33 secured upon a horizontal shaft 34. A rocket wheel. 35

is 'fixed uon the inner end of shaft 34 and is driven y means of a sprocket chain 36.

`. The chain passes over a sprocket wheel 37,

the latter heing driven b a laterally offset chain 39 and sprocket vv eel 40. Chain 89 is connected to a drum and ratchet. wheel mechanism within the cab, indicated geni' Aorally at 38. The latter mechanism is oni the conventional type and need not be shown in detail and described. The drum may be rotated manually or by power to drive the chain and thence reciprocate the rack bar in either direction at will to adjust the position of the steeringplate 25. a

The a instable plate25 has two functions. As previously mentioned, there may he a tendency for the forward end of the vehicle to side-slip and it may be impossible to steer the A drive shaft 12 extends forl.device by means of the steering wheel. As y indicated in Fi re 2, when the plate 25 is folded backwar into the dotted line position it acts as a rudder. The operator may change its angle of inclination with the side of'the casing to vary within the range of' zero to ninety degrees, and he may adjust one or the other or both of the platesin a manner to secure best results. It is apparent that the lateral component of the thrust between the unremoved snow and the plate will vary with the changes in the said angle of inclination, thus providing means for keeping the plow recisely in a chosen path. The second functlo'n of the plate 25 is dependent upon its full line position (anywhere between 90 and 180 inclination with the casing). After cutting the first swath through the snow with both plates folded backward to act as rudders, the plates are thrown forwardly to the full line position. Upon cutting the next and each succeeding swath, the plate, extending laterally into the previously cleared space, catches any '/snow that may have'slid or tumbled into'the clearing, there# after guiding it into the auger casing. The plate upon' the opposite si'de of the casing, which is in contact with the snow yet to be removed, may be adjusted to act as a rudder and at the same time to cut the snow in such manner that it is left with a smooth vertical surface after the vehicle has passed, the plate being given a sharp vertical ed e for this purpose. However, if' desired, t is plate need not be moved from itis folded or dotted line position. rlhe plates'25 may be of any desired height and shape. Fig. 3 discloses a modification of the steering mechanismof Fig. 2 as applied.v to the same type of plow. ln this instance, a plate 42 of much of the same shape as plate 25, is rigidly mounted at the side of the auger casing. This plate serves to scoop up an snow out of an already cleared path and to s idably support a rack har 43. llhe rack har is .adapted to move toward and away from the casing to steer lthe plow and a sharp leading edge 44 is provided for making a clean ont in the fallen snow. A pinion 45 is mounted below a sprocket wheel 46, hoth being ned upon the saine shaft and spaced from thetcasing' 2l hy means of'a shaft-supporting bracket 47. flhe pinion meshesfwith the teeth of the rack har and the sprocket wheel is driven by 4a sprocket chain 48. The chain, guided` hy means of an idling sprocket 49 and an idling pulley wheel 50, driven in the same manner as Fia1and2.

n ldi 4 and 5 are shown, diagrammatically, p ows of the V type in which the wing elements or side plates 51 instead of being rigid with respect to the remaining -plow structure, are foldably pivoted as at 52 at the the chain of forward or snow-entering end of a rigid passes back to the cab and is .les

rearwardly extending rod 68.

for preventing the snow from interfering with the operation of the hinged construction plates 51 may be oscillated about at 52. The the hinges to vary their angles with respect to the central frame member 53 and thereb steer the plow. The means for effecting suc oscillation consists, in Fi. 4, of two rigid members 55, each of whic is pivotally attached at one end to a wing of the plow as at 56 and which receives a roller 57 at its opposite end. On each side of the central'frame an endless chain passes from the cab (not shown) to and over a pulley Wheel 59, and the roller end of each member is securely fastened to the chain by means of a clip 60. It is readily apparent that, as the chain passes over the pulley wheel, the roller 57 will ride along the face of the central plate 53 to vary 'the angles between plate 51 and members 53 and 55 respectivel The control mechanism used in Fig. 5 differs from that of'fFig-A' inthat toggle levers 61, which are pivotally secured to the folding wings 51 and central rigid frame 53 at 62 and 63 respectively, are opened and closed by means of push-and-pull rods 64.

The plows shown 1n Figs. 6 and 7 are also of the V type but they differ from those of Figs. 4 and 5 in that the wings or V elements are rigid and that auxiliary plates are provided for steering control.

In Fig. 6 two plates 65 are rigidly spaced from a rigid central frame member 66 -by means of braces 67.v A rudder plate 68 projects from the nose of the plow to the frontv thereof whereby it enters the snow in advance of the plow. It is pivoted to the plow about a vertical pin 69, and is provided with a rigid 70 provided with a radial slot 71 is mounted for rotation in the central frame 66. A pin 72 passes downwardly through the enlarged rear end 73 of the rod 68 and into the slot 71. A worm 75 upon a worm shaft 74 is in engagement with the worm wheel 70. It is obvious that rotation of the shaft will cause 'a shifting of the rudder 68. s

In Fig. 7, two rigid wings or plates 76 are rigidly s aced from the central frame77 by means o braces 78. A rudder-like plate 79 is pivoted as at 8O to the rear of each side of the V-shaped plow portion. The plates 79 1,419,263. The modifi are oscillated by means of worms 81, worm wheels 82, crank arms 83 which are fast on the worm wheel shafts, and links 84, the latter being pivotally connected to the ruddersand the crank arms as at 85 and 86 respectively.

The steering means just described in c'omnection with Figs. 1 to 7 are readily adapted for use in the snow plow constructions'shown in Patents 775,293; 617,830; 1,413,007; and p cations shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are particularly eiicaciouswhen A worm wheel applied to Patent to ohnson, 1,419 63.

It is to be understoo that the drawings are only illustrative of my invention and that various changes in the arran ment and combination of parts may be ma e, sub'ect only to the limitations of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a snow plow,

on each of said sides for movement into trailing relation'thereto to contact with the snow to stabilize the path of said plow.

2. In a snow plow, a casing having forwardly extending sides, and means mounted on each of said sides for movement into trailing relation thereto to contact with the snow to stabilize the athof said plow, said means being adjustablli. f

3. In a snow plow, a casing having forwardly extendinv` sides, and means mounted on each of said sides for movement into trailing relation thereto to `contact with the snow to stabilize the path of said low, said means being independently adjusta le.'

4. Ina snow plow, a casing having forwardly extending sides, for movement into trailing relation to the front edge of each of said sides to contact with the snow to stabilize the path of the plow.

5. In a snow plow, a casing having forwardly extending sides, and means mountedv lows of the type disclosed in the a casing having fora casing having forl `wardly extending sides, and means mounted and means mounted plow) said means being independently adjusta e.

7. In a snow plow, a casing having forwardly extending sides, and means mounted on said sides adapted to lie forwardly and to the side thereof to increase the swath of the casing andto lie rearwardly and to the side thereof to contact with the snow to stabilize the path of the plow.

8. In a snow plow, a casing having a forwardly extending side, and a plate mounted to swing on a vertical axis on said side from a position in front of said vertlcal axis to a position .in rear thereof.

9. In a snow plow, a' casing having a forwardly extending side, a plate mounted to swingen avertical axis on said side from a -position in front of said vertical axis to a position in rear thereof, and means for adjusting the position of said plate from a disv auger in said casing, the sides ofsaid casing extending forwardly, and means mounted for movement into trailing relation to the sides of said casing to engage thefsnow to stabilize the path of the'plow.

11. In a snow' plow, a casing having forwardly extending sides, means mounted on each side of the casing to Contact with the snow, andmeans to vary the distance of the outer edges of said contacting means from the longitudinal axis of the plow to stabilize the path of the plow. 5

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto'affixed my signature.

WALTER E. KLAUEB. 

